Fashion and Hollywood have always been inextricably linked. So when a bright new talent starts making waves on the film circuit, garnering awards and an Oscar nomination - as Jennifer Lawrence did for her break-out role in last year's
Winter's Bone
- the fashion community pays attention.

In her style, as in her acting, Lawrence appears older than her years. No kooky Miu Miu dresses, the go-to label for young Hollywood, for her. Instead she chose Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein Collection for her most high-profile appearances and managed to pull off grown-up gowns without ageing herself. She was arguably the best-dressed actress at the Oscars this year in a simple but stunning custom-made red silk crepe tank dress by Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection.

"Jennifer Lawrence looked so striking in our red gown at the Oscars. She looked like a true star," Costa tells the Telegraph.

Back in September 2010, Stefano Tonchi, editor of
W Magazine
chose a scarlet-lipped Lawrence to appear of the cover of his first issue at the helm. It was an arresting shot taken by shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Martin.

"I wanted to present a new group of actresses for my first W cover," he tells the Telegraph. "My editor at large Lynn Hirschberg and I saw many new upcoming movies and Jennifer Lawrence really impressed us with her performance in
Winter's Bone
. Sure, I never would have imagined that she would be nominated for an Oscar. Our coverline was Great Expectations! She did not let us down."

The magazine called her "a young actress who just may be the best of her generation" and accordingly, the comparisons to Meryl Streep are already coming in.

Lawrence moved to New York from Kentucky to pursue her acting career and was initially offered modelling work, which she declined. Her role in
Winter's Bone
- in which she palys a young girl searching for her absent father while raising her brother and sister in poverty - has been described as so compelling it was like documentary work, and really proved to her peers that she made the right decision.

Her next role will be as the naked, blue superhero Mystique, in
X-Men: First Class
, formerly played by Rebecca Romijn. Her fabulous curves will serve her well, but she's suitably unfazed about her allure telling W magazine: "My job is not to be skinny, my job is to act."

Expect to see a lot more of Lawrence on the red carpet in the near future. She just finished promotional work on
The Beaver
, with Mel Gibson (recently premiered at Cannes Film Festival) and had three other films in the works: the thriller,
House at the End of the Street
,
The Hunger Games
and
Truckstop,
which, rumour has it, will see her playing opposite Oscar winner Melissa Leo.

"There are actresses who build themselves, and then there are actresses who are built by others. I want to build myself," Lawrence said.